02-10-1951

Sting is born

Gordon Sumner (better known as the musician Sting) is born on this day in Newcastle, England. Before becoming a full-time musician, he worked as a teacher and a ditch digger. Sting sang and played bass, saxophone, and keyboards in Newcastle jazz clubs in his early 20s, when he picked up his nickname because of the black-and-yellow-striped shirt he frequently wore. In 1977, he formed the Police with drummer Stewart Copeland and guitar player Andy Summers. The group's hit albums included Zenyatta Mondatta (1980), featuring the single "Don't Stand So Close to Me," and Ghost in the Machine (1981), including the single "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic." The group's last album, Synchronicity (1983), was its biggest success, boasting hits like "Every Breath You Take" and "Wrapped Around Your Finger." Although the band members played together live a few more times, they never again recorded together. Sting launched a successful solo career, becoming an international star with albums including Dream of the Blue Turtles (1985), Nothing Like the Sun (1987), and The Soul Cages (1991).